The purpose of this regulation is to establish a common framework on statistical standards for the production of harmonised data in the area of education and lifelong learning.

ACT

Regulation (EC) No 452/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2008 concerning the production and development of statistics on education and lifelong learning.

SUMMARY

In order to develop education and lifelong learning strategies, and to monitor the implementation of these strategies, the production of comparable statistical data is of utmost importance. It is also essential that the statistical data production is based on a framework of consistent concepts. Consequently, this calls for the establishment of an integrated statistical information system on education, training and lifelong learning at the European Union (EU) level.

DOMAINS

This regulation applies to the production of EU level statistics on education and lifelong learning, covering the following domains:

Education and training systems

Comparable data is sought especially on the participation in and completion of educational programmes and on costs and resources used for education and training. The data covers domestic educational activities and includes all student types and age groups. It also allows for the calculation of indicators on education and training systems. EU countries must supply data falling under this domain annually.

Adult participation in lifelong learning

The comparable data collected on the participation and non-participation of adults in lifelong learning concerns individuals in the 25-64 age group. The supplementary collection of data on participation in social and cultural activities is on a voluntary basis only. Data for this domain must be supplied every five years, beginning in 2010 at the earliest.

Other statistics on education and lifelong learning

This concerns comparable data that support specific EU policies not covered by the above two domains, such as statistics on human capital or on the social and economic benefits of education. This data is obtained from existing EU level sources.

STATISTICAL ACTIONS

Individual statistical actions are used to implement the production of EU level statistics. These include the following:

for the first two domains, regular and timely delivery of statistics by EU countries;

within the scope of the third domain, provision of supplementary variables and indicators through other statistical information systems and surveys;

developing, improving and updating standards and manuals that define frameworks, concepts and methods;

within the context of the quality framework, improving data quality.

The Commission will take into consideration the existing capacities of EU countries with regard to the above actions. For the collected data, consideration will be given to the regional and gender aspects whenever possible.

The Commission (Eurostat) will also strive to collaborate, where appropriate, with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) Institute for Statistics (UIS), the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and other international organisations to guarantee the comparability and avoid the duplication of data at an international level.

When new data requirements arise, or when the quality of the data is insufficient, the Commission will first launch voluntary pilot studies to be implemented by EU countries before the actual data collection.

IMPLEMENTING MEASURES

In order to supplement the regulation, certain additional implementing measures are used to amend its non-essential elements. These include measures that provide for economic and technical developments in data collection, transmission and processing. If, on the basis of these measures, the need for supplementary data collection arises, any decisions will be taken only after a cost-benefit analysis is effectuated.

For EU countries, limited derogations and transition periods may be granted if need be, provided that these are based on objective reasons.

The Statistical Programme Committee assists the Commission in its work with regard to the production and development of statistics on education and lifelong learning.

Commission Regulation (EU) No 88/2011 of 2 February 2011 implementing Regulation (EC) No 452/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning production and development of statistics on education and lifelong learning, as regards statistics on education and training systems [Official Journal L 29 of 3.2.2011].

Commission Decision 2010/786/EU of 17 December 2010 granting derogations for implementing Regulation (EC) No 452/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the production and development of statistics on education and lifelong learning with regard to Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Finland and the United Kingdom [Official Journal L 335 of 18.12.2010].

Commission Regulation (EU) No 823/2010 of 17 September 2010 implementing Regulation (EC) No 452/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the production and development of statistics on education and lifelong learning, as regards statistics on the participation of adults in lifelong learning [Official Journal L 246 of 18.9.2010].

This regulation establishes the implementing measures for individual statistical actions to produce statistics on adult participation in lifelong learning.

The first Adult Education Survey covers the participation of adults in education and training during the period 1 July 2010 – 30 June 2011 and any related aspects, such as difficulties encountered. The data is collected during the period 1 July 2011 – 30 June 2012 and then every five years. The survey covers the 25-64 age group, though the 18-24 and 65-69 age groups may also be covered.

In close collaboration with EU countries, the Commission produces an Adult Education Survey Manual to ensure a high level of harmonisation between their survey results.

The regulation establishes minimum requirements in order to ensure that the data to be transmitted is of high quality. Its annexes specify the variables concerning the survey subjects and the sample and precision requirements. EU countries must submit quality reports on the survey to the Commission, to which end quality requirements are also set out in the annex to the regulation.

Commission Regulation (EU) No 912/2013 of 23 September 2013 implementing Regulation (EC) No 452/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the production and development of statistics on education and lifelong learning, as regards statistics on education and training systems [OJ L 252 of 24.9.2013].

This regulation lays down measures in regard to the production of statistics on education and training systems taking into account the potential burden on educational institutions and individuals and also of the latest agreement between the UIS, the OECD and Eurostat on concepts, definitions, data processing, periodicity and deadlines for transmitting results. The purpose is to ensure the international comparability of educational statistics.

The regulation seeks to ensure that data collection from administrative and other sources on student mobility at all cycles of study are improved in order to monitor progress and identify challenges, as well as to contribute to evidence-based policy making.